A pensioner drunkenly crashed his car in his own street while desperately trying to return a woman’s phone.
David Webster, 75, got behind the wheel after mistakenly picking up another person’s mobile at a function.
Residents on Rankine Street were woken by car alarms at around 12.25am on March 9 after Webster bumped into parked vehicles.
Fiscal depute Lissie Cook told Dundee Sheriff Court he appeared “agitated” and “smelled of alcohol” when a resident checked him.
Webster, a first offender, pled guilty to drink-driving (41mics/ 22).
Solicitor Theo Finlay said his client, a retired engineer, held a clean driving licence for 50 years.
“He had been at a function and got a taxi home. He got home and realised he had another person’s phone and she had his.
“He tried to phone a taxi but none had come. He was anxious this lady got her phone returned and got into the car.”
Sheriff Eric Brown disqualified Webster from driving for 12 months and fined him £400.
Cafe boss re-sentenced
A Fife tearoom boss convicted of sexually assaulting six women at his Leven cafes has been re-sentenced to a curfew because he was not medically fit to carry out unpaid work. Alistair Burns targeted his victims at the Trudor Tearoom or Daunder In – doors apart in Forth Street – during a period spanning January 2019 to October 2023.
Stamped on head
A burly tradesman who stamped on a man’s head during a row outside a Perth pub has been jailed.
Fencer Jason Clark, of Sauchie Terrace, Crieff, was caught on CCTV almost jumping on top of his victim as he lay on the pavement near the Welcome Inn, Rannoch Road.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the man suffered a broken jaw and was in pain for months after the attack on May 27 2023.
Clark, 33, returned to the dock for sentencing having previously pled guilty to assaulting his victim to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life.
Sheriff Alison McKay jailed him for 22 months.
After viewing the CCTV, she told him: “You stamped on that man’s head.
“You are very lucky you didn’t kill him, otherwise you wouldn’t be in this court, you would be somewhere else.”
Fiscal depute Duncan MacKenzie previously told the court people including the complainer and victim got into a heated conversation in the pub and were separated.
Mr Clark walked towards the exit and gesticulated for his eventual victim to follow.
CCTV caught Clark throwing a single punch which knocked his rival to the ground, where he stamped on his head, before returning inside.
Police officer cleared
A police officer has been acquitted of sexually assaulting two people at a Perth nightclub, despite a sheriff finding parts of his evidence “incredible and unreliable”. PC Martyn Kelly was accused of inappropriately touching a woman on the dancefloor and “slapping and grabbing” a man’s bottom on the same evening. The trial lasted two days.
Panic button
A holiday-maker who threatened to torch an Arbroath convenience store over a SIM card has been fined.
Staff at the Family Shopper in Fisheracre had to hit their panic button when Sartip Qader began kicking off.
Qader, from Hayford Avenue in Lambeth, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit acting in a racially-aggravated threatening or abusive manner.
The trainee barber waded into a debate between an acquaintance and shop staff over the SIM purchased there on August 2 last year.
“He was immediately aggressive and intimidating,” fiscal depute Jill Drummond said.
“He was shouting and repeatedly swearing. The accused then stated: ‘I will burn your shop’.
“The witness was alarmed by this and quickly activated the alarm situated behind the counter.”
Qader goaded him: “Call the f***ing police,” adding “You’re not even speaking proper English.”
His lawyer Billy Rennie said: “He was here with his family for a holiday.”
Sheriff Derek Reekie told Qader his conduct was “an appalling way to behave towards people.
“This must have been a frightening experience, as was clearly demonstrated by the way they reacted by having to press the panic alarm.”
Qader, 35, was fined £420 and ordered to pay £250 compensation to the shopkeeper.
Community disposal for sex offences
Dundee man Brandon Harrington has been given a community payback order after sexually abusing a young boy in the city more than a decade ago. The sentencing judge at Edinburgh High Court recognised Harrington had been cleared of more serious offences.
Prison warning
A Cowdenbeath drugs dealer avoided a jail term but was told if he could spend two years inside if he breaches community service.
Michael Kemp, 32, of Chapel Street, appeared for sentencing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
He previously admitted that between January 29 2021 and November 19 2022 at a room at the Beath Inn, High Street and at Selkirk Avenue, both Cowdenbeath, and elsewhere, he was concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Sheriff James Williamson said he would not jail him because of the time that had passed since the offending and the fact Kemp is now working.
He imposed a community payback order with 225 hours of unpaid work and made the prison warning.
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